Commencement Ceremony Information

Spring 2017

Place cap on
the head squarely. In addition to appropriate attire, women are
requested to wear dark dress shoes and men to wear white shirts and dark
shoes. Please consider that feet and legs below the gown will be
visible on stage.

Associate and Baccalaureate degree candidates
wear tassel on the right side of the cap; change the tassel to the left
side when their degree is conferred. Candidates for Master's and Ed.S.
degrees should wear the tassel on the left side of the cap. Hoods should
be carried over the left arm.

University
campus tours will be available. Tours will start at the Sunset Lounge in
the Memorial Union and are open to all students, family and friends. If
you have never visited our campus, this is a perfect opportunity! The
first session of tours will be from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and the second
session will be from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tours are given courtesy of
the Admissions Office.

2017 Spring
Commencement Ceremony information. On Friday, May 12, 2017, at 6 p.m. in
Gross Memorial Coliseum, all undergraduate degree
candidates from College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics will graduate. On Saturday, May 13, 2017, at 9
a.m. in Gross Memorial Coliseum, all undergraduate degree
candidates from the College of Business and Entrepreneurship, the College of Education and the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences will graduate. Saturday, May 13, 2017, at 2 p.m. in Gross Memorial Coliseum, all graduate degree candidates will graduate.

Candidates
are required to participate in the entire ceremony. The University
expects courtesy to be extended to all candidates crossing the stage.
Therefore, please do not shout or applaud to an individual candidate. An
appropriate time will be announced for applause. Noisemakers or air
horns are not allowed. The audience is asked to refrain from moving
around and leaving to ensure all graduates are provided appropriate
courtesy.

Driving Directions to our Campus:- Coming from 183 South, turn left at 8th Street and go straight (west) to the FHSU campus -
Coming from 183 North, (option 1) turn right at 27th Street, take 27th
St. to Hall St., turn south (left) and go to the FHSU campus -
Coming from 183 North, (option 2) Take Vine St. south to 8th St., turn
right and go straight (west) to the FHSU campus. - Coming from
Interstate 70 East or West, turn south at US 183 Bypass (exit 157) and
go straight to the FHSU campus.

Please leave
early to allow sufficient arrival time. Traffic is extremely heavy in
the Gross Memorial Coliseum area for Commencement. The Coliseum parking
lot is normally full one hour prior to the start of the ceremony.

Shuttle bus service for those
who park on campus will be provided to and from Gross Memorial Coliseum.
In the event of rain, please park on campus.

Drivers may let off
passengers with disabilities at Gates 2 and 3. Access vans are available
to transport passengers with disabilities who park on campus to and
from Gross Memorial Coliseum and Sheridan Hall. After the event,
vehicles leaving the parking lot at the north exits will be directed
north. Those exiting south will be directed south.

Candidates
completing all degree requirements (associate, baccalaureate, and
graduate degrees) during the spring or fall semester are eligible to
participate in spring commencement.

Students with reasonable
expectation to finish a degree during the summer term may participate in
the spring commencement prior to completion. Summer graduates also have
the option to attend the following spring commencement. However, all
graduates are allowed only one opportunity to participate in
commencement. Names will appear in the program for the ceremony in which
the graduates are scheduled to participate. Undergraduate students
present requests to the Registrar. Graduate students present requests to
the Dean of the Graduate School. Contact your degree analyst in the
Graduate School before the end of March.

Photographers
from Chappell Graduation Images will take individual photos as each
graduate approaches the stage, crosses the stage, and at the stage exit
ramp. Proofs and forms for ordering will be mailed by Chappell
Graduation Images to each candidate after Commencement. Please allow up
to five business days for mailing. There is no obligation to purchase
photos.

During the ceremony, individuals who wish to take
personal pictures may do so from an area designated on either side of
the stage.

Only press and official university photographers with
passes will be allowed to take pictures in front of the stage. Family
members are welcome to take pictures on the stage after the ceremony and
in front of the designated backdrops located around the track.

Guest
seating is available on the bleachers and in the balcony area. All seats
in Gross Memorial Coliseum are first-come, first-served and are
normally filled one hour before the start of the ceremony. Faculty will
be seated with the candidates on the arena floor of Gross Memorial
Coliseum. Persons other than degree candidates attending Commencement
are asked to enter the Coliseum through Gates 1, 2, 3 or 4 - not through
Cunningham Hall. Relatives and friends choosing to view Commencement in
the Coliseum will be seated on the bleachers and in the balcony.
Reserving large sections of seats in the bleacher and balcony areas is
not allowed. Please arrive early.

Seating arrangements for the
disabled are available in the bleacher area on either side in front of
the stage. There are no reservations for this area. One person, if
necessary, will be allowed to accompany an individual in this seating
area. There is not sufficient space in this area for entire families.
The most convenient entrances are Gate 2 and 3. An interpreter for
people who are hearing impaired will be near Section C in the bleacher
area. Limited seating within close proximity will be available.

The ceremony
will be held at Gross Memorial Coliseum. Seating is available on the
bleachers and in the balcony area. All seats in the coliseum are
normally filled one hour prior to the start of the ceremony. Please arrive early.

Commencement
will be broadcast live to campus residence halls and over two area
cable TV systems. Eagle Communications will carry the live telecast on
KFHS- TV, Channel 17, in Hays, Ellis, Russell and WaKeeney. In addition,
Rural Telephone will carry the live broadcast of Commencement to nearly
40 communities in Northwest Kansas. Residents in communities served by
Rural Telephone should check their local listings for the channel in
their community.

Commencement will be broadcast live on the
Internet. Those who wish to view Commencement on a computer should
download Windows Media Player prior to May 13. For the Internet option,
use Windows or Mac OS X v. 10.3.9.

The ceremony will be held at Gross Memorial Coliseum. Seating is available on the bleachers and in the balcony area. All seats in the coliseum are normally filled by about 9. a.m. Please arrive early.

Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center in Sheridan Hall will be available for guests who arrive after Gross Memorial Coliseum is full. Commencement is viewed on a large screen in air-conditioned Sheridan Hall.

Commencement will be broadcast live to campus residence halls and over two area cable TV systems. Eagle Communications will carry the live telecast on KFHS- TV, Channel 17, in Hays, Ellis, Russell and WaKeeney. In addition, Rural Telephone will carry the live broadcast of Commencement to nearly 40 communities in Northwest Kansas. Residents in communities served by Rural Telephone should check their local listings for the channel in their community.

Commencement will be broadcast live on the Internet. Those who wish to view Commencement on a computer should download Windows Media Player prior to May 16. For the Internet option, use Windows or Mac OS X v. 10.3.9.

DVDs of the Commencement ceremony will be available for pre-order during the Spring 2014 semester. To order a DVD of the Commencement Ceremony, download and return the DVD Order Form.